Samantha Moreno

Every Thanksgiving morning, millions of Americans gather around their televisions (or bravely face the freezing streets of New York City) to see gigantic balloons fly through Manhattan. Marching bands provide music and Santa Claus ushers in the holiday season. It's the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, a tradition as warm as pumpkin pie and as festive as a holiday sweater. But how did this historic event come about?

It all started in 1924, when Macy's employees, many of whom were immigrants, wanted to celebrate Thanksgiving in the way they were used to: with large, street celebrations similar to those found in Europe. They submitted the idea to their supervisors, and Macy's approved it. The initial parade featured a variety of floats, marching bands, and live animals loaned from Central Park Zoo. Yes, there were lions and elephants strolling through the streets of New York!

The inaugural parade was a huge success, with over 250,000 people attending, and Macy's decided to make it an annual event. In 1927, the live animals had been replaced with the first enormous balloons. That year, Felix the Cat was the first of several larger-than-life characters to ascend to the skies. The helium-filled stars grew so popular that, in the 1930s, Macy's began releasing them into the air following the parade, offering prizes for their return. 

But, the parade has faced its fair share of obstacles over the years. During World War II, from 1942 to 1944, it was halted, and all helium and rubber from the balloons were contributed to the war effort. However, by 1945, it had returned in full force, even becoming a live TV broadcast, marking its popularity worldwide.

The parade's cast of cherished characters evolved along with the decades. The parade has maintained its nostalgic appeal while keeping up with pop culture, from Pikachu to the Pillsbury Doughboy. Behind the scenes, the event requires meticulous choreography, innumerable volunteers, and over a year of planning, with floats constructed right down the road here in Secaucuse, NJ. 

Celebrities set to perform and make appearances this year include Bishop Briggs, Chlöe, Dan + Shay, Jimmy Fallon & the Roots, Coco Jones, Walker Hayes, Ariana Madix, Idina Menzel, the Temptations, and T-Pain. 

Every year casts from some of Broadway's biggest shows step onto the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade stage to bring their talents to the whole country. This year's official national broadcast will include performances from the Great White Way's Death Becomes Her, Hell’s Kitchen, and The Outsiders, as well as the iconic Radio City Rockettes.

Naturally, it's all building to the enchanting moment when Santa arrives and the holiday season is formally launched, because inviting jolly old St. Nick to the Big Apple is the epitome of "Happy Thanksgiving"!